Sayoko Saga:Book 3: Life
by Devon Masterson-Bond
Summary: Continuation of Book 2. Tenchi and the others cope with the loss of a loved one.


The Sayoko Saga

****

Book Three: Life

Part I

by Devon Masterson

Amber eyes opened in response to soft crying. The young woman sat up instinctively and bumped her head on the glass. "What is this?" she asked as phased through a lid and stood. She had been sleeping in a glass box with pillows. She quickly felt her teeth. Her canines were longer than normal but not so long as they were threatening. "I'm not a vampire. Someone must have made a mistake." She looked around the large room and admired the gadgetry and magnificence. The room had to have twenty-foot ceilings. 

The crying increased in volume in her mind. "I'll explore later." She started to float up to the ceiling and phase through when she remembered something. She stuck her hand through first and was shocked. "Ow." She blew on her hand as she floated back down. A few tears weld up but subsided as the pain fleeted. "I'll just have to blast my way out," she commented as she held her hands in front her. A purple energy ball formed between her hands. She started to laugh maniacally as she felt the power surge through her. It had been awhile since she had been up to something. 

"Follow me," a tiny voice suggested.

"Okay," she replied drawing the power back in. She looked around and saw a small cabbit on the ground. "You're so cute."

"Thanks," she said as she started to scurry away.

The young woman followed after the cabbit. She led her to a small door and the scenery changed dramatically. She looked about and sighed. "There is so much cleaning that has to be done for breakfast, but first let me get the baby." She floated toward through ceiling and into Reika's room.

Reika stopped crying upon seeing the young woman come into the room. She held out her hands. "You're hungry aren't you?" she asked Reika's mind. Reika's mind answered by cooing and looked up at the young woman in yearning. She was very hungry. The woman smiled. She took Reika into her arms and sat down. She opened her robe and the baby started to nurse happily.

A few minutes later, Reika stared up happily now that she was full. "Let's go cook breakfast for everybody, Reika," she said as she strapped the baby into the carrier harness. The baby smiled at the prospect of getting out of the room. "Let's go then," she replied as she sank into the floor and landed into the kitchen. She started to look through everything but all she found was coffee and tofu. The tofu looked very old over a year. The coffee-can had dust on it as though it hadn't been disturbed in sometime. "Hmm, I need to go shopping as well we're out of almost everything." 

Ryo-ohki jumped onto the counter. "I can show you where the shops are."

"Thanks," she replied, "by the way what's your name?"

"Ryo-ohki," she answered almost sadly. "What's yours?"

"Why Sayoko of course," she answered. "Exactly where am I?"

"You're in Tenchi's home and can you live with him if you want. We all live here now. Washu, Aeka, Kyone, Mihoshi, and of course Tenchi."

"You think he'll let me stay?" she asked. 

The cabbit nodded. "They would love to have you. I'll tell you about them while we shop."

Sayoko picked up the cabbit and started to float upward. She and her passengers phased through the house and started flying toward the city.

***

Tenchi opened his eyes as he smelled the scent of breakfast in the air. He looked around the room. He was in his bed. He sat up slowly and smelled the scent of miso soup, broiled fish, and rice cooking. That was his favorite breakfast combination. The only thing to perfect would be… "Coffee?" he asked as he jumped out of bed. He hadn't had coffee since Tsunami last made breakfast for him. No one in the house knew how to make it but her. Was the whole thing a nightmare? He had to know. 

He quickly rushed out of the room and he saw the others in the hallway rubbing their eyes. "I had the most horrible nightmare," Kyone began.

"Me too," Mihoshi replied. "I dreamed that Ryoko and Tsunami…"

"It was not a nightmare," Aeka interrupted. "I had the same one and we can not have the same exact dream."

"Then who's down stairs making breakfast?" Mihoshi asked.

"That's what I'm going to find out," Tenchi answered as he walked down the stairs to the kitchen. As he came down the stairs, he saw that the table was already set for breakfast. He rushed into the kitchen and found nothing but a clean kitchen. Disappointed, he walked back into the dining room. "There's no one there," he sighed.

"She has to be around here somewhere, because she is not in her room," Aeka added.

Washu opened the door from the storage closet and sat at the table. She had an eerie sense of calm as she started to eat her breakfast without saying anything. "I have good news and bad news."

"What is it?" Tenchi answered.

"Good news is she's alive," Washu answered, "bad news is Ryoko and Tsunami didn't make it."

"I do not understand," Aeka replied as she sat next to Washu.

"See for yourself then," Washu answered as the door opened.

Everyone looked towards the foyer and saw a woman with long, spiky blue hair similar to Washu's and amber eyes. She wore a blue and gold robe with a black body suit underneath. They heard Reika giggling in her harness on the woman's back as she was being tickled by a little black tail. Everyone's mouth dropped as they noticed the two circle insignias on her forehead. The woman stopped suddenly as she noticed that there were other people in the room "You're awake. I took Reika to the onsen to feed her again and give her bath," she said. She looked around nervously. She felt a gently nudge from the little cabbit that she befriended. "My name is Sayoko. It's very nice to meet all of you. I've heard a lot about you from my little friend here." She picked up Ryo-ohki and petted her gently. She walked over to Tenchi and bowed deeply. "You have a lovely home and daughter."

"Thank…you," Tenchi choked out in shock.

Sayoko smiled. "I was wondering if I could stay awhile. I can't seem to remember my family and have no place else to go. I am very useful around the house and strong too. I can cook, clean, and help with the yard work. I can even baby-sit."

"This is your home too," Tenchi finally managed to say. He could not believe how wonderful and messed things were up. She was alive and standing before him, but she did not remember him and she was different. She looked like Ryoko, but not. Her characteristic spiky hair was much longer and blue, but she also didn't like Tsunami either, she was perfect mix of the two.

"Oh thank you," she exclaimed as she threw her arms around Tenchi. She blushed as she realized what she was doing and pulled away.

"Sayoko, tell us about yourself," Aeka remarked as she took the woman by the arm and lead to her to the couch. 

Sayoko took Reika from the harness and held her in her arms. "Hmm…well I don't remember much. I woke up this morning downstairs and I thought everyone would be hungry, but I had to do some shopping since we were out of everything I needed. Then I made breakfast. The kitchen is organized so nicely. I was able to find all cookware so easily. After I set the table, I took Reika to the onsen to have a bath. I think she really likes me."

"What about before today?" Tenchi asked.

"I…don't remember," she answered sadly.

"She's a complete blank slate," Washu added. "Not a memory before this morning in sight. I feel nothing when I look into her mind."

"Hey who said you can look into my mind?" she asked angrily. "My thoughts are my thoughts."

"Feisty aren't we?" Washu smiled as she saw some of Ryoko's personality come out.

"Damn right, you peeping tom," Sayoko interjected. She handed the baby to Tenchi and walked over to Washu. "Which one are you anyway?"

"Washu, the greatest scientific mind in the universe," she answered as she bowed extravagantly, "and your mother."

Sayoko's eyes widened. "Really?" she asked softly as she looked at the young woman. "You're lying you look as old as me."

"Now that's no way to talk to your mother, Sayoko-chan."

Sayoko still looked unconvinced. "Well then let me look into your mind then," she suggested as she moved closer to Washu before she could refuse. The circle insignias merged into a triangle and glowed as she touched Washu's forehead with her own. A rush of memories bombarded Sayoko's mind as she watched Washu's life. She saw her some of her innermost secrets. Sayoko moved away from Washu as she broke the link. "What do those memories mean? I'm not in any of them."

"Yes, you are but you're different now," Washu replied trying to catch her breath. Even though Sayoko didn't go through her mind completely she felt as though she had lived her life again on fast forward. "Tsunami and Ryoko merged to form you."

"Then it wasn't a dream then…" Sayoko said softly. "I dreamed about two women fighting and they ended up killing each other. But before they died made peace with each other." She looked at everyone in the room. They all looked at her with friendship and love in their eyes. She turned away from them. "I can't be them. I won't be them. I am my own person and I won't except otherwise."

Tenchi put a hand on her shoulder. "Sayoko…"

"No!" she said emphatically. "I'm my own person. You can touch me. I have my own mind. I even have my own reflection." She looked into the mirror for effect. "I'm not who you want me to be. I should leave."

"Now you wait just a minute, Sas…yoko," Aeka said sternly as she stepped out in front everyone. "We're not asking you to be them. Just give us a chance."

"I guess I can't fault you there, Queen," Sayoko said lowly, "but what's in it for me?"

"Love and a sense of belonging," Washu answered from the breakfast table.

"Well when you put it that way," she began. She looked at them all and bowed deeply. "I shall stay. But I'm own my person." She suddenly faded out and appeared next to Tenchi and took Reika. "It's time for a nap missy." She floated up the stairs and disappeared.

Tenchi sighed as he looked after Sayoko. "At least she's alive."

© 2001 Devon Masterson.

Another Bond Girl Production

I think we know who belongs to who, Tenchi characters belong to the wonderful creators, who let me borrow the characters for fun and imagination. Everybody else is a figment of my wonderful imagination.


End file.
